The Sultan and the Criminologist
by Banshi13
Summary: A Sultan is in need of a wife. A criminologist is in need of freedom. Can they both get what they want without sacrificing their selves in the process? This story is finished, please read and review!


Authors Notes: Well, after going through the Archives for Jonny Quest, I realized that there was very little Jessie/Hadji fics here. So, I decided to add one of my own. I do not own any characters from Jonny Quest. These include the main characters of this story, Hadji Singh and Jessica Bannon, as well as mentionables in this story, such as Race Bannon, Dr. Quest, and Jonny Quest. This is the only installment of this story, I don't plan to do anymore chapters. So, please read and review to your hearts content!

JQ

At 23 years of age, Jessica Bannon had already experienced many things that most girls her age could only dream about. She'd been all over her native country, the United States, from Maine, where she lived, to California, Arizona, Florida, and New York, all the way to China, to Columbia, to England, and, as it just so happened, she was now in Bangalore, India, visiting her old friend, Hadji Singh.

The Sultan of Bangalore.

Yes, indeed, she'd had many doors open to her all of her life; her father was an ex-CIA and Intelligence One agent, one of the most dangerous men on the planet, in her opinion at least. Her mother was a world renowned archeologist who was discovering new things about the human civilization every year it seemed. She'd lived most of her young life with her mother before she'd gone to live with her father in Maine, who had been hired to protect a father and his two sons, the Quests. Benton Quest was an emanate respected scientists and phenomanologist, with a sizable bank account and an impressive contact list to boot. His two son's, Jonny and Hadji, his adopted son, were now respected adults in their own right. Jonny was a special agent with the CIA, his main focus was in computer cryptology and Hadji...

Well, Hadji was the Sultan of Bangalore.

She was at this very moment, the guest of the Sultan of Bangalore. It was just after New Years, and Bangalore, on the eve of the new year, gave a splendid gala, courtesy of it's Sultan, for the entire city. Diplomats had flown in from all over the world to attend the New Years Eve ball, and the people of the city were treated to a magnificent fire works show, a carnival in the middle of town, and Bangalore's very own crystal ball to mark the beginning of the new 365 day cycle. As always when Jessie came to visit her long time friend, she was given a place of honor in the palace. She came to see him at least once a year, most of the time with the rest of the Quest Clan. There had been once when she'd come alone just to get away from everything for a few days, and of course, to see Hadji. Since he had become older and grown out of a teenager and into more of a man, Hadji could scarcely leave Bangalore anymore. There was the occasional trip to Maine for three or four weeks, but lately, those visits were becoming far and few between. Where as when Hadji had been 17 and could easily leave the regency of his kingdom to his mother, Neela, Hadji was now 24, and had assumed all the duties a Sultan would have. The last time he'd actually been able to leave Bangalore to come home had been 18 months ago.

Needless to say, he was sorely missed around the Quest Household.

She was sitting on her private balcony, in the usual guest room she occupied when she and her family would come to visit Hadji, looking at the night life below her and the stars above her, thinking about the rest of her family who hadn't been able to join her for this venture. Her father had been called in as a consultant on a case headed by one of his old friends at the agency, Benton Quest was doing more research on the Anasazi Tribe back in Arizona, and Jonny was stuck in Washington D.C. . Though his work was classified, she knew that he was cracking codes to threats that terrorist groups were sending the U.S. government. As for herself, she was on vacation, true, but through the internet, she was still working on completing her masters degree in Criminology through NYU. After her masters would come the PHD. After the PHD...who knew where she would head? Washington, maybe. She could pal around with Jonny then. Possibly Quantico or Langley, or any other FBI base that had need of criminologists. Hell, she might actually get a job with the CIA or Intelligence One. She already knew many of the agents in both organizations. Many of them were family friends or close contacts of her fathers. She would have all the references she wanted should she choose to shoot in an application.

Yep. She'd had everything she'd ever wanted all her life. Vacations abroad, good schooling, her own car at 17 years of age, a luxurious home life, popularity in high school, being noticed by the other sex. Jessica Bannon was a gifted and blessed woman indeed. She hadn't been given everything though; much of if she'd had to earn just like everyone else. And her life hadn't been all roses and chocolates either. Her parents had divorced when she was young, she'd been kidnaped more times than she could count, her father had almost been killed by a raging bull, her family had been in more dangerous situations than that of the secret service, and she'd faced off against three of the craziest villains the world had ever seen. Far from the fairy tail that many of those that had known her through life thought she had.

"Enjoying the sights of Bangalore, I see..."

"Hey, Hadji," Jessie looked up and behind her from her seat, flipping her fire red hair over her shoulder, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you knock, I was out here just enjoying the view." Hadji waved off the apology. "Do not worry, Jessie. The sights and sounds of Bangalore can become quiet mesmerizing when you allow yourself to indulge in them too long."

"Tell me about it...people think New York is crazy, but spend an hour here..." she looked back down at the city below her, "I bet no one in New York could say that they got run over by a cow."

"Well...hopefully no one can say that here either," Hadji chuckled. He held out a hand to her, which Jessie accepted as she stood up. Their fingers intertwined as they looked out over the balcony at the festive city below them. Though it was nearing midnight, the streets showed no signs of slowing down. "I am sorry I haven't been able to see you much today," Hadji stated, looking down at her, though only receiving a mane of red hair to his sight. He could tell that she was smiling though. "Matters of state to attend to, your Heighness?"

"Among other things," he smiled down at her, squeezing her hand gently, "I had a meeting with the Governor of Tamil Nadu...a delicate matter that he wished to discuss with me that could no longer wait. I had been putting off the meeting for weeks. Today, I could not find an excuse not to meet with him."

Jessie frowned. It wasn't like Hadji to put off a meeting with someone, especially the head of another state that was on the border of Karnataka, the territory of which Bangalore was the capital. "Why? I mean, why put off the meeting?" She felt him shift uncomfortably. "If you can't talk about it, I understand..."

"No, no, it is nothing like that. I like the Governor. He is a good man. He has led his country through harsh times. He has a sense of honor that I can only hope to live up to..."

"But?" Jessie prodded.

"Bangalore is a modern city...India has caught up with much of the technological world. We are no a leading industry in the business of technology. But some of the old ways still remain, especially when it comes to royal families."

Jessie furrowed her brow, not sure that she was liking where this was going. "Hadji..."

"I am 24 years old, rapidly approaching the age of 25. Men my age are generally just coming out of college, getting a job in the 'real world'...men in my station however, are worrying about state matters." He cleared his throat nervously. "State matters also include the topic of marriage these days."

Jessie fidgeted slightly. She never liked hearing about Hadji's marriage proposals. Truth be told, it made her jealous every time there was the slightest mention of pressure being put on Hadji to take a wife and provide an heir. She and Hadji's mother, Neela, would speak of it occasionally on her visits, but never in detail. Neither of the women liked the idea of Hadji having to pick a wife and Sultana so young, but both had their different reasons. Neela had casually brought up the idea once of Jessie being a perfect match for her son, but the red head had shook her head vigorously, denying that there was nothing but a strong friendship between the two.

That and the fact that Jessie couldn't see herself attending state dinner in some tight fitting Sultana uniform, only being able to smile and nod and play the part of the good wife and mother to be. She'd been raised in the American way through and through, and no where in her up brining was it said that women were to smile and shut up when their men entered the room.

"Jessie?"

"Yes?"

"Are you alright? You seemed to be in a different world for a moment." His brown eyes looked worriedly over her. He knew that this was never a subject that she was comfortable with. It wasn't a matter he cared to discuss either. But she had to know how close the time was coming for him to formally choose a wife.

"Yea, I'm fine...just a little, um...cold." She smiled lightly, looking at him with an apprehensive look on his face. Though it was dark, there was a soft light filtering through to the balcony upon which both of them were standing, and it was enough for her to see the disbelief in his eyes. It was a balmy 73 degrees that night, with the humidity being at least 80. It was far from cold. None the less, he pulled at her hand, tugging her in front of him and wrapped his arms around her lithe form.

"Better?" he murmured into her hair. A nod and contented sigh was his only response and he tightened his hold on her.

"So...who is she?"

Hadji frowned. "Who is who?"

"The girl that this Governor wants you to marry..."

"I never said-"

"It was pretty obvious, Hadji." Jessie smirked, shaking her head slightly. She was good at reading between the lines. A criminologist was always good at that. "C'mon, tell me about her. What's she like, what's her name?"

"I...I do not know. I have never met her. The meeting was a simple inquiry of where I stand on the matter. She will be one of many that I meet with...possibly date. She will be one of many of whom my advisors will study and test and scrutinize and then come back to me with either a resounding yes, that I should take her as my wife, or a no, that I should move onto the next girl." Jessie felt him shake his head against her hair. "I can not do that. I can not go on dinner dates with different girls every night who are hoping to become the next Sultana of Bangalore."

"Well, I hope not," Jessie sniffed, "that would certainly be a side of you that I've never met before. I don't even think you could attempt to do that. That isn't you..." Her body relaxed even more against his front, and he in turn, tightened his grip around her middle. "It would probably be hard too...not only would you have to meet with all of them but they're probably all beautiful to begin with...intelligent, funny...trained to be a proper queen..." Everything I'm not she added on silently. Well, maybe not the intelligent part. Jessie knew she was damn smart, her SAT, ACT, CAT, and I.Q. tests all proved that she was highly capable of understanding almost anything that was put in front of her. She even impressed Dr. Quest when she was younger when she was able to understand and put together mathematical equations that some of his college educated employee's couldn't comprehend.

"And all that I would meet with, I would invariably find something wrong," Hadji answered, "they would not be you." He felt her stiffen in his arms, and immediately regretted opening his mouth. It was a subject that they simply did not discuss. They led two very different lives.

"I am sorry," he quietly murmured after a few minutes. Surprisingly though, she shook her head. "At least I know you still feel the same way about me...but we can't do this forever. Eventually, you're going to have to take a wife and I'm going to have to get over you..." Jessie pursed her rose pink lips together, "it just wouldn't work out." Abruptly, she felt Hadji release her from his grip and she turned around, her eyes narrowed in confusion and hurt. "Hadji, you _know_ that. We've discussed this."

"Yes, we have. But I can not pretend to believe that any longer, Jessica." He could see Jessie swallow. It was rare that he ever used her full name. He was beyond serious when he did that. "I have never believed it. I only agreed because it seemed that you wanted things to remain as such. But I can not ignore what my heart is telling me, nor my dreams...we can make this work, Jessie, if you would only let it."

Of course, Jessie only fixated on one portion of that statement. He'd had dreams about her? She wondered briefly if the dreams were anything like those she had of him, but she quickly pushed those distracting, if wonderful thoughts from her mind. "I _do_ want it to work, Hadji, believe me, I wish it could. But I there are so many other things that I want to do first! Right now, I'm getting my masters in criminology, I might be working for the FBI or the CIA. I might be working along side Jonny! I'll be out on dangerous missions, and that's something that's been with me my entire life. I'm not sure I want to give up that aspect to bare you an heir-"

"Jessie, that is-_that is not what you would be doing!_" Hadji's cheeks were as red as the hair of the woman he loved, though not just because of embarrassment. It angered him to think that she felt baring him a child would be all that she would or could do if she took this station. "Do you really believe that the only reason I would choose you to reign by my side is because I would be comfortable sleeping with you?" Now it was Jessie's turn to blanch and blush. Though she tried to get her word in, Hadji cut her off.

"There is no other woman in this world that I would rather take as my wife, Jessie. It does not have to be as restricted a life as you make it out to be. I live it every day. Yes, there are times that I don't enjoy it, but every one, at times in their life, does not enjoy their station or certain experiences. That is no reason to deny what we have, or what we could have."

The sounds of the night life were all that was heard for a few minutes. The Sultan and the criminologist were both at a loss for words. After a few moments, Jessie turned from him, gazing out over her balcony, placing her hands on the ledge. "Mo matter how many times I try to be free, I always feel like a tiger in a cage," she muttered, shaking her head. Hadji simply watched her, staying quiet, allowing her to ponder her own musings. "I've always wanted to lead my own life, make my own rules...just like my dad. But I want to settle down too...with someone who understands that I'm not going to be Suzy Homemaker. I want children, but I won't be barefoot and pregnant making meals in the kitchen...I could never be those things."

"I would never ask you to do such a thing, Jessie. You know that. How could you think that I-"

"I don't think you would, Hadji. But I do think that your advisors..." she smiled over her shoulder at him. "Traditions, Hadji. What would they want us to do as soon as we were married?" Hadji didn't bother to answer the question. They both knew. "I'm not ready for that. I have a life I want to live, a career I want to start and get enough of before I have a family. I'm not saying never, but I want to do it by my own time table...not by counselors or advisors, ambassadors or senators...and that what it would feel like to me..."

"Jessie..." she could hear him walking towards her. She felt him stop just behind her. "True...my advisors, my ministers, my counselors...they decide many things for me. But I will draw the line on any decisions that they would make regarding my family. Those choices, those aspects of my life are not theirs. If any of them objected to that, their attitudes would be corrected most swiftly." He reached out, turning her slowly towards him. When she would not look at him, his gentle, soft yet worked hands took her smooth chin and tilted her face upwards to meet his gaze. "You wish for freedom, Jessie. Yet your heart is in chains. As long as this remains, you will never taste true freedom." His eyes bore into hers, the intensity of his gaze causing her to try and turn away, but he held her firm. "Let your heart fly, Jessie. Its wings will be your guide."

Jessie's hand slid over Hadji's hand which was still under her chin. Her other hand found the back of his neck. She wanted to believe everything he said. The strange thing was that she found herself doing just that. How could she believe for even a moment that Hadji would have allowed anyone to dictate to them how their relationship would work?

"Well..." she considered, blinking her green eyes at him to forbid tears forming, "I have to admit that...it wouldn't make me very happy to see you married off to some girl that you don't know...that was vetted...scrutinized...finally deemed acceptable for you..."

"I would not want that fate either." His deeply tanned thumb caressed the smooth creamy whiteness of her skin. "Besides...knowing you as I do, the moment you were to meet her would be the moment her death warrant would be signed." He placed his thumb over her lips, which were beginning to open in protest. "Do not bother to deny it. You can be a dangerous woman, Jessica Bannon. You know it." He removed his thumb from her mouth and leaned forward.

"A most dangerous woman," he whispered, before his lips grazed hers in the gentlest of kisses. Hadji was elated when the grip she had on his neck tightened, pulling him even closer to her. Soon, there was no space between them as their mouths battled with one another, close to seven years of denial was being released between them.

For her part, Jessie held onto him for all she was worth. Her hand was attached firmly to the nap of his neck, so much so that one would think it would require surgery to remove. Her body molded itself perfectly to his strong, muscled form. Over the years, Hadji had developed much more solidly, and she could feel a strong chest against her own. Arms which had already been strong were now happily capturing her body against his own, and the scent which she'd always associated with him, cinnamon mixed with the spices of incense and burning wood were assaulting her every pore, her body reacting and seeking anything more that he could possibly give her at the moment.

When they broke away, their lips bruised and red, their faces flushed with the intensity of their prolonged passion, Hadji gazed down at Jessie, the brown in his eyes seeming to mix with the fire that they both shared. "I will not ask you to reign beside me, Jessica," he whispered, smoothing her hair, cupping her face in his hands, "I will not ask you to become Sultana...I ask you only to be my wife, to marry me and allow me to be your husband and kindred spirit in this life. If you wish to take on the duties of a Sultana, you may do so...but I will not pressure you."

"I know you wouldn't," Jessie nodded, kissing him gently once more. When she heard him release a groan against her mouth, she grinned, "I didn't know I had that affect on you."

"Your affect on me is most amazing," he murmured, brushing his lips across her forehead, "I am afraid that at the moment, I am acting inappropriately. That is what my counselors would tell me at least." He felt her teeth nip at his neck, and he stilled almost instantly. Jessie was still trapped between him and the railing of the balcony. But if she felt what she was doing to him, it didn't seem to frighten her any. In fact, her hands slipped to his lower waste, pulling him closer to her. "Why Hadji...inappropriate? Why would they ever suspect such a thing?" The sly grin on her face was almost his undoing right then and there. Had Hadji not had the upbringing he did, he would have taken leave of his gentleman like qualities and consummated their relationship right there on the concrete.

"I do not believe that we will have a problem producing offspring in the future when we desire," he finally managed to rasp out. Jessie stifled a giggle, burying her head in his chest and allowing him time to regain his composure.

"You never answered my proposal," Hadji reminded her.

"I didn't think there was any room left for denial."

"Still..."

Jessie took his hands into her own. "I accept your proposal, Hadji. I will be your wife...I'll try to be wor-" she was stopped by his hand covering her mouth. He shook his head. "You will be my wife. That is more than enough. Do not worry about those that serve me. I may be a gentle ruler and an uncommon employer, but I do not forget that I _am_ Sultan. They will accept you not only as my wife, but as Sultana. If they do not, they are free to find another employer."

He kissed her gently, releasing her mouth only to place his lips on her forehead. "I love you, Jessie...never forget that."

"I know..." her eyes fell on his face, her hair falling freely down her back as she kissed his chin. "I love you too." Her forehead fell against his chest, and she held him tightly.

"Thank you."

They enjoyed the next few moments of silence. It was well after midnight now and the crowds were beginning to deplete. Villagers and city goers were returning home, only to prepare for the next day of work.

"Hadji?"

"Yes, Jessie?"

"How are we going to explain this to my dad?"

"You needn't worry about Race, Jessie," Hadji assured her. She pulled away from him slightly to look at him. The expression on his face was a knowing one. "Why is that?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I am a traditional man, Jessie. I would not have asked for your hand without first the permission of your father." At his fiance's surprised look, he continued on. "He, along with Dr. Quest and Jonny, will be arriving the day after tomorrow to offer their congratulations." His mouth turned upwards into a smirk. Jessie herself couldn't believe it. "You had this planned?" she asked in disbelief. Hadji only nodded. "I hope you are not angry with me."

"No...no, I'm not angry," Jessie answered, pulling away from him, her hand lingering on his, "but I do believe that for this...going behind my back...talking to my father, which, I must admit, you have more courage than all the CIA and Intelligence One put together...having this planned out...it's going to cost you." She beckoned him towards her room with a sensual finger, to which Hadji could only obey. "I must tell you that I can not, nor will I take the next step until we are officially married," he warned, though he was only to happy to take her in his arms.

"Oh, who said we were going to take the next step?" she asked innocently. "I'm going to drive you insane, Hadji...so insane that when the night finally comes, you'll have no choice but to let the Singh out of you..." Jessie knew fully well that in the Indian culture, the name Singh meant Lion. Lion's were courageous, steadfast, true, and noble creatures. But Lion's could also be dangerous if something was dangling in front of them that they could not have.

"Until that night comes," she continued, "I plan to have my fun with you. We have a lot of catching up to do, after all."

Hadji couldn't argue with that. And wisely, he didn't. He did the only thing a man in his position could do at the moment. Grasping his betrothed firmly by the arms, he gently pushed her against the wall. "Lions are dangerous when they are kept at bay," he warned huskily, before he claimed her mouth with his own, thanking the spirits that he finally had what he most wanted in life in his arms, loving him as he loved her.


End file.
